Friday, April 30, 2010

A baby boy survives a botched abortion, abandonment by doctor, and dies two days later. In a horrible report from Italy, a 22 week infant dies in an intensive care unit, at a hospital, following an abortion. This was the first pregnancy for the mother, who opted for an abortion, after prenatal scans suggested her baby was disabled.

The infant survived the procedure. He was abandoned by the doctors, wrapped in a sheet, and left to die. Twenty hours later, the hospital chaplain, found the baby moving and breathing. He immediately insisted that doctors take the infant to a specialist and special care unit. The priest's first act was to pray for the baby, when he noticed signs of life from the infant.

Italian police are investigating the case for homicide, because infanticide is illegal in Italy. The law states, that doctors have an obligation to try to preserve the life of a child, if they survive abortion. The Italian government is also considering looking into the conduct of the hospital staff. An Italian official stated, "We must remember, that a baby once born, is an Italian citizen equal to all the others, and is entitled to all fundamental rights, including the right to health and therefore be given full support."

The case has ignited a firestorm over the legality of abortion in a Roman Catholic country. A spokesman for the Pro-Life Alliance said, "There cannot be anybody in the world who is not horrified by a story like this." This is the second case involving a baby of that age surviving the abortion procedure.

Abortion has been available on demand in Italy, for the first 3 months of pregnancy, since 1978. However, there are restrictions to specific circumstances such as disability, in the 2nd trimester. More than 200,000 abortions are performed each year, most for non-medical reasons, within the legal upper limit of 24 weeks gestation. The increasing number of babies surviving below 24 weeks, partly because of advances in medicine, has led to wide-spread calls for the legal upper limit to be further reduced.

April is Sexual-Assault Awareness Month, and recent news from Mexico about an 11 yr. old girl, who became pregnant through rape, allegedly by her stepfather, and her decision to continue her pregnancy, has ignited a firestorm of controversy. Some abortion advocates have argued, that the Mexican girl is too young to continue her pregnancy, and should have an abortion.

To counter this argument, David Reardon, founder of the Elliot Institute and contributing editor to "Victims and Victors", a book based on a survey of 192 women who became pregnant through rape or incest states, "In almost every case in which the pregnancy resulted from incest, it was the girl's parents or the perpetrator, who made the decision and arrangements for abortion, not the girl herself." None of the incest victims reported having any say in the decision. Reardon further says, "Nearly 80% of the women who had abortions said, that abortion didn't help them. Instead, many reported problems such as depression, substance abuse, broken and abusive relationships, and suicide attempts after abortion."

One woman, who became pregnant by her father at the age of 15, said, that she refused an abortion after she became pregnant, but at her father's request, was held down on a table and given the abortion anyway. "I was told that an abortion would solve my problem, when it was never really the problem in the first place," she wrote years later. I was told, "Your parents know what's best, when they obviously were only concerned about their own reputations." I was told, "You made the right decision, when I never was given a choice. More important, where was my baby's choice?"

In the book, "Victims and Victors", information is revealed, that many women who had abortions, did so, due to pressure, demands or even force.

During Sexual-Assault Awareness Month, the Elliot Institute is working to raise the awareness, that abortion harms rather than helps women, who become pregnant through sexual assault. More information is contained in the book, "Victims and Victors", a must read for the pro-life movement.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

A very unhappy birthday to the pill, 50 yrs old in May. Here is what 50 yrs of the pill has done to our world and women's lives.

Margaret Sanger and Katharine MCCormick, both advocates for women's rights since the early 20th century, teamed up in the 1950's to bring the pill project to its' inevitable conclusion. Margaret Sanger imagined the 1st contraceptive pill in 1912, and McCormick was not far behind. Both women anticipated the pill would be helpful for women's emancipation.

Once the FDA approved the pill, there was a mad rush by women to their doctors, demanding this wonderful new emancipating pill. This pill would allow women to gain control over their fertility and lives. They, not God, could decide whether or not they were having a child. They could take advantage of opportunities for education, work and a place in the political world.

In the United States, many claimed the pill, would free couples from unplanned pregnancies, improve their sex lives, and lower the divorce rate. Really? It's done the exact opposite. The divorce rate has more than doubled in the 60's and 70's. Another little fact, the pill didn't always work in preventing unplanned pregnancies. This helped lay the foundation for abortion on demand.

The medical consequences of the pill are tremendous. The hormonal shift in a woman's body can lead to depression, blood clots, infertility, cervical cancer and a strong indication that it plays a role in the breast cancer epidemic. The moral consequences of the pill have led to promiscuity, a greater amount of unwed pregnancies, abortion (most pills themselves are abortifacients). The divorce rate has climbed to record numbers. It turned women into objects rather than companions to their spouses, and diminished their gifts of motherhood and femininity. Pandora's box was opened and society is still reaping the evils that 50 yrs.of the pill has wrought.

Judge Scopelitis, the judge in the trial of ND 88 has lifted the stay of discovery in the case. This will allow the legal defense team, for the pro-life protesters arrested at the University of Notre Dame in May of 2009, to seek testimony from University officials.

The protesters are called ND 88, and have been in jail since May 2009. They were arrested for trespassing during the demonstrations protesting President Obama's reception of an honorary degree by the University of Notre Dame.

This leaves the lead attorney free to pursue depositions and find out more about the events, that led to the arrest of the ND 88. The information will include :

1.) Who gave authority to the Notre Dame Police Department to arrest the ND 88?

2.) Who decided that the ND 88 were not allowed on campus during the month of May 2009?

5.) All communications between Notre Dame and any outside policing entities regarding the treatment and arrest of the ND 88, and which communications occurred prior to the arrest.

"A Notre Dame Alumni group, Sycamore Trust, recently reported that homosexual rights and anti-ROTC protestors received, at worst a mere slap on the wrist, for leading unauthorized protests on campus. We believe that through discovery, we may very well uncover evidence, that the Notre Dame police engaged in view-point discrimination, and that the university singled out the ND 88 for especially harsh treatment," said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas Moore Society, who is defending the ND 88.

They say that "no one is pro-abortion," in the words of Barack Obama to Alan Keyes during their U.S. Senate contest in 2004.

No? No one is pro-abortion? I think that's patent nonsense, and today's example comes to us from Long Island, where 8 nurses are being disciplined for refusing to participate in non-emergency abortions.

Not only are some people pro-abortion, they are so pro-abortion that they insist that pro-lifers take part!

EAST MEADOW — Eight nurses who refused to participate in an abortion at Nassau University Medical Center here March 31 are resisting disciplinary action levied on them by hospital officials.

“This is a horrendous situation,” said one of the labor/delivery nurses disciplined who asked that her name not be used. She and the others, she said, had signed paperwork at the time they began working there stipulating that they would not be required to assist in abortions but have often faced pressure to do so.

Some of the nurses involved have lost vacation time and others have their cases still pending, union officials report.

“The decision against these nurses by the hospital goes against protocol, goes against procedure, and goes against the law,” said Jerry Laricchiuta, president of the Civil Service Employees’ Association (CSEA) Nassau Local 830. The union is filing a grievance and is “considering litigation.”

“This was not an emergency situation and at no time was the patient endangered,” said Ryan Mulholland, communications director for the CSEA local.

Joining the union in speaking up for the nurses are the Long Island Coalition for Life and Feminists Choosing Life of New York State.

On March 30, the patient, who was about 15 weeks pregnant, came to the hospital for surgery to prevent a miscarriage, Mulholland said. She had come to the hospital before because of complications. After preparation for surgery began, further complications ensued. The next day, she decided to have an abortion rather than undergo the surgery.

“Several of us had put in letters years ago stipulating that we do not participate in abortions,” the labor/delivery nurse noted. “There are many reasons for that, other than our religious beliefs, and we represent many different religious backgrounds. Most of the doctors don’t perform abortions either.”

So the attending physician asked them for assistance in contacting a nurse who would be willing to assist with an abortion, she said. Because the patient was stable and in no danger and was being monitored for vital signs, the physician decided to wait until later in the afternoon for that nurse to arrive.

...The procedure began when the nurse willing to assist in abortion came on duty. The baby died before the procedure was completed, Mulholland said, with no ill effect to the woman.

On April 2, all the nurses who resisted assisting in the abortion were verbally reprimanded, Mulholland said.

In addition, three lost vacation time and the other five also face further disciplinary action.

They were cited for alleged insubordination, failing to provide patient care and endangering patient safety, refusal to sign the form, refusing to accept transfer of a patient from another unit, and conducting union business in a patient care area. No specific reference to abortion was made.

...Florence Scarinci, Long Island representative for Feminists for Choosing Life of New York State, said “it is sad that ‘pro-choice’ always seems to mean the choice to have an abortion, rather than the choice not to participate in abortion.” [Emphasis added.]

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Chemical contraception is bad for women, couples, society and the environment...

Philosopher Dr. Janet E. Smith writes on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the FDA' approval of The Pill:

This year we “celebrate” the 50th anniversary of the birth control pill, or “the pill.”

For the 40th anniversary of the pill, PBS produced a thorough retrospective on its history. The material is still on the PBS website and is an invaluable resource for those interested in this subject.

The story PBS tells is fascinating and, without meaning to denigrate PBS, the broadcaster tells the history of the pill in a surprisingly honest way — surprising not only because of PBS’ usual biases, but also because the pill is a subject that involves a great deal of dishonesty. PBS is even honest about the dishonesty and even simple foolishness that surrounds the pill. For instance, when it reports on early efforts to get the pharmaceutical companies — including Searle, which eventually became the first company to receive FDA approval to sell birth control pill — to develop a chemical contraceptive, PBS notes:

Beyond the legal and religious complications, Searle executives just didn’t believe there would be a huge market for an oral contraceptive. The men at Searle found it inconceivable that any woman would consider taking pills every single day just for contraception. The prevailing wisdom was that no healthy woman would ever willingly take a drug that neither treated nor prevented disease.

Deceptive drug trial

Sadly they were oh so wrong. Women have proven wretchedly willing to “take a drug that neither treated nor prevented disease” and, indeed, which has been plausibly identified as a cause of lethal diseases.

PBS also noted that some of the early research that was done circumvented laws against contraception by purporting to do research to help women with problems with infertility. Not only were some of the trials illegal, some of them involved giving women in psychiatric hospitals drugs without their knowledge or consent.

Deception was even written into the pill; since the pill creates a pseudo-pregnancy, women on the pill would not be menstruating. Researchers, however, devised the pill so that women would experience pseudo menstruation each month. This was done so that the pill might seem more “natural” and thus perhaps make it more acceptable to the Catholic Church.

Researchers chose Puerto Rico as a place to test the pill because they reasoned if they could get a poor Catholic country to accept contraception, it would be an easy sell elsewhere.

The fact that three women died during the course of the trials did not provoke researchers to examine the risks of taking the pill. Read the rest...

Isn't it interesting to note how, over and over again, the proponents of abortion, euthanasia and contraception, the advocates of the culture of death, resort to lies, distortions, obfuscations, and simply changing the subject to get their way?

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Can vaccines made with fetal cells be causing Autism? In a recent article from Environmental Science and Technology, an EPA study found a marked increase in the incidence in Autism, that began in 1988. There has been much debate that vaccines, or their additives, are one of the primary causes of Autism.

Autistic disorder is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder, typically identified in early childhood. Genetic and environmental factors are implicated in the cause. Autism has increased dramatically in recent years. Autism effects 1 in 100 children, with a significantly greater incidence among boys.

An interesting point, is that vaccines associated with the Autism trend never contained mercury. And some animal produced vaccines, used universally in the US before 1979, contained levels of mercury as high, if not higher, than current levels.

Although the debate about the nature of increasing Autism continues, every effort should be made to stem the increasing tide of Autism in our children. Some right to life groups are advocating for informed consent, before vaccines are given, and fair labeling on the vaccine. It is a real possibility that virus laden DNA of aborted babies, could be wreaking havoc on the DNA of healthy children. Just take the pig DNA, recently found in the Rotovix vaccine. Plausible? You bet.

There are a few vaccines that have been made with aborted fetal stem-cell lines. Many parents have posed a moral objection to their use. Now the question of vaccine safety is legitimate.

Vaccinations should require informed consent. And they should require that parents study the issue, before they give consent for their helpless infants, who if susceptible, may be at risk for Autism. In any event, the EPA study is well worth parents time to read.

April 21, 2010 the bill C-384 that would legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada was defeated by a vote of 228 to 59. The bill C-384 was brought by Member of Parliament Francine Lalonde.

Tim Uppal told the House that Lalonde's bill "offers death as a solution to pain and suffering." In the debate, Uppal noted that the bill's scope is "extremely broad". Pointing out that it would allow even those "who are not in the process of dying to ask a doctor to end their life".

Michael Savage argued that "Canada's palliative care system is not strong enough. Canada needs to focus on offering better palliative care to those at the end of life."

Bill Siksay noted that he thinks it's possible to have an euthanasia law with appropriate safeguards, and pointed to the Netherlands. Dr. Phillip Ney from Victoria noted that the bill would be dangerous for vulnerable patients because medical professionals are "not above being corrupted", as evidenced in Nazi Germany.

Dr. Tim Lau of Ottawa stated, "Death with dignity is not the same thing as death with efficiency. Until we recognize that our dignity lies not in what we can do or what circumstances we find ourselves, but in who we are, we will never realize our true dignity."

It seems the debate in Canada, for the time being, is under treatment. Kudos to all the people who worked very hard to defeat this bill. Wonder why no major news source has covered it?

Monday, April 19, 2010

A recent study revealed that terminally ill children have been assisted in their death (physician assisted suicide) by their physicians. This study was published in the March edition of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. The author Dr. Joanne Wolfe, a palliative pain specialist in Boston, wrote the study. Dr. Wolfe interviewed 141 parents of children who had died of cancer.

"They had had found out ... in that study 19 of the parents had thought about having their child euthanized, 13 had actually talked about it seriously, 5 spoke to their physicians about it, and in 3 cases, the parents said that the doctor agreed to give their child a lethal overdoes, and the child died."

This report is from Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC).

This practice is illegal in all 50 states. The study points to better pain management and a need for support for parents going through the most difficult time of their lives, watching their child's suffering and impending death.

The solution isn't to kill the child. The solution is to provide the most beneficial care for both child and parent. If a child is going to die, and the parents are aware, every effort should be made to strengthen the family in their time of crisis. If that's done, then the child dies in a natural and normative setting.

The Netherlands is euthanizing children and it's legal. In fact, most children in the Netherlands are afraid to drink their orange juice, because they know their lives may be lost because they're sick. Do you see any parallels to the abortion debate? I sure do. If a child is a choice, it's really not a child, it's an object .. not part of the human family, but isolated. If a child is considered an object because it is sick, and not part of the human family, the choice is society can kill it. This process is called dehumanization and has been used successfully in every genocidal movement, since the beginning of time.

In the Netherlands the protocol says, that children under the age of 12 are not to be euthanized. But we all know there are ways and guidelines to work around a law. I suspect, after the killing starts, it's only a matter of time before we're all at risk.

In Nazi Germany it started from small beginnings; "from the idea that if the physician presumes to take into consideration in his work, whether a life has value or not, the consequences are boundless and the physician becomes the most dangerous man in the state".Dr. Christopher Hufland.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Federal Judge Barbara Crabb of Wisconsin struck down a federal statute yesterday, that sets aside a day for the National Day of Prayer, claiming that it was unconstitutional.

Shirley Dobson, Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force and wife of Focus on the Family Founder Dr. James Dobson, said "Since the days of our Founding Fathers, the government has protected and encouraged public prayer and other expressions of dependence on the Almighty. This is a concerted effort by a small but determined number of people, who have tried to prohibit all references to the Creator in the public square, whether it be the Ten Commandments, the Pledge of Allegiance, or the simple act of corporate prayer - this is unconscionable for a free society."

National Day of Prayer Task Force (NDPTF) along with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) are urging President Obama to appeal federal judge Barbara Crabb's decision.

Joel Oster, ADF senior counsel, echoed the sentiments of Shirley Dobson saying, "It's important to remember this is about the National Day of Prayer: It's America's heritage, and this day belongs to Americans - the court should not have struck down this statute. ADF urges the Obama Administration to appeal this terrible ruling, that not only undermines the National Day of Prayer, but the underlying heritage and tradition of the American people, which dates back to the Nation's founding."

The National Day of Prayer tradition predates the founding of the United States of America, evidenced by the Continental Congresses' proclamation in 1775, setting aside a day of prayer. The tradition of designating an official day of prayer, actually began with the Continental Congress in 1775, after which President George Washington issued a National Day of Thanksgiving Proclamation. Ever since, American presidents have made similar proclamations and appeals to the Almighty. Historically, all 50 governors, along with US presidents, have issued proclamations in honor of the National Day of Prayer.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The recently passed national health care bill, supported by most Democrats and President Obama, will do the following, by promoting the expansion of nurse practitioners and other nurse specialties. It's no small wonder that the American Nurses Association supported nationalizing health care. In fact, they were major players in developing the bill.

The new US health care law provides $50 million dollars to nurse managed health clinics, that will offer primary care to low income patients. Fifty million dollars annually, from 2012 through 2015 for hospitals which will train nurses with advanced degrees, to care for Medicare patients.

From 2011-16, there will be a 10% bonus from Medicare to primary care providers, including nurse practitioners, who work in areas where doctors are scarce. With a boost in the Medicare reimbursement rate for certified nurse midwives, it will bring their pay to the same level as doctors. This means, in the health care overhaul law, nurse midwives were given a raise to 100% of what a OB/GYN makes. In fact, Michelle Artz, of the American Nurses Association, confirmed the raise by saying, "We know we need to get 100% for everybody. This is a crack in the door. We're hopeful this sets the tone."

A nurse may soon be your doctor. Many people would think that may be ok. But there's a profound fundamental problem. The entire structure of medicine will be redefined.

On Tuesday, April 14th, the Nebraska Legislature passed the "Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act". The new law prohibits abortions in Nebraska after the unborn child can feel pain at 20 weeks. The legislation is the first of its' kind. No state has ever passed a similar pain law.

The law will save lives. It will protect, the 20 week and older unborn child in the womb, from the pain of abortion. It will also protect the mother from the grief that often accompanies the decision to abort.

The bill provides, what may be the first direct challenge to Roe v Wade, which in 1973 established a "right" to unrestricted abortion until fetal viability at about 22 weeks. The law is expected to be reviewed by the Supreme Court. If so, it could redefine a state's legitimate interest, in protecting unborn children.

The enactment of this bill will probably make the late-term abortion business of Dr. LeRoy Carhart change. Carhart's "claim to fame" is performing abortions through 24 weeks in Nebraska. In an interview with Newsweek, Carhart said, "He won't, for example, do elective abortions past 24 weeks, because the fetus is likely viable." But, according to the New York Times, Dr. Carhart, has also begun performing some abortions "past 24 weeks," he said in an interview; and is prepared to perform them still later, if they meet legal requirements and he considers them medically necessary. Dr. Carhart declined to provide specifics, on how late in a pregnancy, he would be willing to perform abortion. His fee schedule lists prices for abortions up to 22 weeks and 6 days (at that point, $2,100 dollars in cash, or $2,163 on a credit card), but notes that abortions after 23 weeks are available "after consultation with our doctor", and that abortions after the 27th week, may take 4 days.

It seems there are 3 big winners with this bill; the unborn babies, their mothers and the possibility of a late-term abortionist looking for work elsewhere.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Representative Bart Stupak (D-Mich), made it official, he will not seek re-election in November. Representative Stupak said, he accomplished his major goal with the passage of health care reform, "My service to the people of Michigan, has been the greatest honor of my life, but it's time to begin a new chapter."

Representative Bart Stupak was the leader of the anti-abortion movement among House Democrats, during the health care reform debate. That is, until he sold out for 30 pieces of silver in whatever perks the Obama Administration gave him. His last minute betrayal secured the passage of the Obama Health Care takeover.

"Congressman Stupak will forever be remembered, as the man whose spine cracked, at the last minute. He betrayed millions of Americans, who trusted he would live up to his word, and oppose government funding of abortion. He saw his coming defeat and decided to cut his losses. Now the question is: How many more from his turncoat gang will follow, said Penny Nance, Concerned Women of American Legislative Action Commitee CEO.

She continued her statement by saying, "Stupak's retirement, will free up pro-lifers to repeal and replace the others in his bloc, who caved along with him and voted to fund abortion with government dollars. We urge those Congressman, who blindly followed Mr. Stupak into voting for government-funded abortion, to follow him again now into their own retirement, so that men and women of integrity may take their places in Congress. We are committed to informing voters and will work hard to ensure citizens have the resources they need upon which to make educated choices."

Representative Stupak reached a compromise with President Obama, in exchange for an executive order from the president, stating that the administration would continue to observe a long time ban on federal funds for abortion. Everyone knew he had betrayed them. Everyone knows that legislation always trumps an executive order. Everyone but Mr. Stupak? I doubt it.

Representative Stupak represents the conservative district of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He has been a member of Congress since 1992 ( long enough to know about executive orders ) before that, he was a state representative, a Michigan state police trooper, and a police officer in Escanaba Michigan.

Representative Stupak headed the House Oversight and Investigations Committee, since 2009. He was involved in investigations into food and drug safety, and the health insurance business. Johnny, we'll hardly miss ye.

Speaking at the national meeting of The Institute for Religious Life, Archbishop Raymond Burke, head of Rome's Apostolic Signatura, sternly called to task, those consecrated Catholic religious, who openly dissent from the authority of Rome and it's teachings on life, as "an absurdity of the most tragic kind", and that they should cease identifying themselves as Catholic.

Archbishop Burke expressed exasperation with the defiance of Catholic religious sisters in the United States, who supported the federal health care bill - a measure dubbed the most pro-abortion piece of legislation since Roe v Wade.

"Who could imagine that consecrated religious, would openly and in defiance of the bishops, as successors of the apostles, publicly endorse legislation containing provisions, which violated the natural moral law in it's most fundamental tenets-the safeguarding and promoting of innocent and defenseless human life, and fail to safeguard the demands of the free exercise of conscience for health care workers," Archbishop Burke said.

"Whoever could have imagined that religious congregations of pontifical right, would openly organize to resist an attempt to frustrate an apostolic visitation, that is a visit to their congregations carried out under the authority of Christ on earth, to whom all religious are bound by the strongest bonds of loyalty and obedience," he said.

Archbishop Burke indicated that the attitude of sisters toward the visitation represents, "A growing tendency among certain consecrated religious, to view themselves outside and above the body of Christ, as a parallel institution looking in upon the Church with an autonomy which contradicts their very nature. Religious life lived in the heart of the Church, and for that reason religious congregations are by their very nature bound in strictest loyalty to the Roman pontiff. It is of course, an absurdity of the most tragic kind, to have consecrated religious obstinately acting against the moral law. The spiritual harm done to the individual religious, who are disobedient, and also the grave scandal caused to the faithful and people in general, are of incalculable dimensions."

Archbishop Burke also directly challenged Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, as well as Network, a pro-abortion lobby group of US nuns, whose support for the bill, the Obama Administration openly acknowledged, as critical to it's success.

"Was not the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, glowing to report, that so many religious sisters were in support of her proposed health care plan. Was not a religious sister ( Sr. Keehan ) one of the recipients of a "pen" used by the President of the United States, to sign the health care plan into law." the Archbishop concluded, "Now is the time for us all, and in particular for consecrated persons, to stand up for the truth and to call upon our fellow Catholics in leadership, to do the same, or to cease identifying themselves as Catholics."

We already know that the entirety of the pro-abortion position is based on lies, wholesale and retail, beginning with the false assertion in the Roe v. Wade decision that we don't know when life begins, all the way down to the retail lies this "nurse" provides this young woman, "Sara" in urging her to seek an abortion.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Everyone knew the last presidential election was all about the Supreme Court. Conservatives along with pro-lifers will see no conservative appointed to the Supreme Court, under the Obama Presidency.

The first appointment was Sonia Sotomayor. Now the President will shortly be recommending his appointee for a new Supreme Court Justice, who will replace Justice John Paul Stevens. Justice Stevens announced his resignation from the court, in a letter to President Obama. What a missed opportunity for the Life movement and for the conservative cause in general.

Justice John Paul Stevens has served for 34 years. He is presently 89 yrs. old and a Catholic ( in name only ). He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1975 by President Gerald Ford. I believe that's the year the Beatles broke up. He is the longest serving justice on the Supreme Court. Over the years, since his nomination, Justice Stevens has become increasingly liberal.

Justice Stevens voted to uphold Roe v Wade in the 1992 case, Planned Parenthood vs Casey, and supports the notion that the US Constitution supports a woman's right to abort her child.

Nancy Keenan, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, praised Stevens as, "Among the strongest supporters of the right to choose, currently serving on the Supreme Court, and his retirement serves as yet another stark reminder of the important role the court plays in our everyday lives."

Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, warned of another battle over abortion looming with the open Supreme Court seat, "The opening of a Supreme Court seat, will again, open the ongoing debate in our nation over abortion-and it well should, not because justices are supposed to shape public policy, but because the very purpose of government is the protection of human rights, starting with life. Anyone who fails to affirm that, does not belong in any public office, much less the Supreme Court."

Thursday, April 8, 2010

They don't know Jack like I know Jack. A new HBO Bio of Jack Kevorkian is due to air shortly. The title is "You Don't Know Jack". The stars are Al Pacino and Susan Sarandon ... no surprise there. Let me tell you a few facts about Jack the Serial Killer.

Kevorkian wanted to experiment on the brains and nervous systems of the people he was euthanizing. Kevorkian wrote the book, "Prescription Medicine" in 1991. An interesting book, considering Jack was an unemployed pathologist. Jack developed the "Kevorkian Machine", which would allow those whom he had chosen to assist in their death, to push the button themselves; thereby making them the perpetrators of their own death, with a little help from Jack.

Most people now a days don't know Jack, because the euthanasia movement has progressed, largely due to his groundwork. They don't know him because he has spent time in federal prison for killing and assisting to kill his victims.

Most of Dr. Kevorkian's victims did not have terminal illnesses. About 70% were disabled. Five of his victims were discovered, upon autopsy, to not even be sick. Jack never cared much about alleviating the suffering of patients ( he even admitted to forgetting their names ). But he called his killing a distasteful professional obligation.

Jack was good at language too. He coined the term, "Obitiatry", defined to describe experimenting on people, as part of the practice of human euthanasia. This is Jack's quote, "If we are ever to penetrate the mystery of death-even superficially-it will have to be through obitiatry ... but knowledge about the essence of human death, will of necessity, require insight into the nature of the unique awareness of consciousness that characterizes cognitive human life. This is possible only through obitiatric research on living human bodies, and most likely by concentrating on the central nervous system.

Sounds like "Silence of the Lambs" or Dr. Mengele, please call your office. Why would HBO produce a biography on a serial killer; who happens to be a nutcase? Why are Al Pacino and Susan Sarandon starring in such a bio? Why would anyone watch it?

Will Jack Kevorkian become a new super-hero for our kids? If so, parents may be euthanized shortly.

Cervical Cancer accounts for less than 1% of all cancer deaths. Cervical cancer is caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Most parents think that cervical cancer may kill their children, because they don't know the real facts. This is the reason that Gardasil, a vaccine developed by Merck which targets the human papilloma virus, was touted as a major medical breakthrough for women, as young as 6th grade on into adulthood.

Actually, there is a prevention for HPV, it's called abstinence. It's something that should be expected by parents and society; but in our day and age we've lowered the bar. It's easier to vaccinate than to teach or discuss moral values.

Now some real facts are emerging. Gardasil was fast-tracked by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006. Fast-tracking a vaccine or medicine means there are no long term studies, or short term for that matter, on the efficacy and dangers of the drug or vaccine. One wonders if only 1% of all cancer deaths are due to cervical cancer, why this vaccine was fast-tracked?

As of January 31, 2010, there are 49 unexplained deaths following Gardasil injection, which have been reported to The Center For Disease Control And Prevention's Vaccine Adverse Reporting System. Wow! How would anyone find that reporting system, to report? Must be far more than 49 unexplained deaths, that haven't been reported. For sure we know, that there have been many adverse reactions to the vaccine. Some of these adverse reactions include seizures, strokes and many more, that young girls and women will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

Remember, that Gardasil is required by law, for 6th grade girls in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia, as well as many other states. Parents can opt out, but very few parents are aware of the risks of Gardasil.

In Illinois, Congress person Debbie Halvorson, pushed mandatory Gardasil vaccinations of pre-adolescent girls in 2007, as an Illinois State Senator. Thank heavens the bill failed, and many young women and girls were spared possible complications, including death.

Contrast the Gardasil statistics with Toyota. There have been 52 deaths attributed to Toyota motor problems, which prompted a $2 billion dollar recall and millions of dollars in lost car sales.

Toyotas were recalled. Gardasil has not been recalled; nor has the complications been advertised or publicized for parents, who genuinely think they are doing something good for their children.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

San Diego public schools will no longer require students to have parental consent to leave campus for any confidential medical appointments; such as pregnancy, abortion and drug counseling, due to a newly revised policy adopted by the state's Board of Education.

The Vista Unified school board, which had previously voted in 2009 to stand by its' practice of requiring parental notifice, before a student could leave campus for any confidential medical service, has now voted unanimously at a meeting held during the spring break, while schools were closed and many families out of town, to revise the controversial policy.

The newly updated policy, now defines "pregnancy and other sensitive medical matters as confidential". Thus, under state law concerning medical confidentiality, the schools can now easily skirt parental notice, and allow students to leave for specific medical appointments without notifying their parents.

Marge Kleinsmith, who oversees sex education for the district, stated that the revised policy brings the district in sync with state law, state attorney general opinions and practices, which are already in place at many schools throughout the district.

Kleinsmith goes on to state, "Some school nurses and staff have been allowing students to be released for these kind of appointments - could be for suicide counseling, could be for an STD test, could be for pregnancy, could be for a lot of things - because they knew state law said they could."

Vince Hall, spokesman for Planned Parenthood of San Diego, as well as Imperial counties, justifies the revised policy, stating, "I hear from my own 14-year-old daughter about kids, who for very legitimate reasons, would not go to their family with these problems."

So, skirting any opposition or debate, due to the clever timing of their meeting, the San Diego Unified School District's board has voted unanimously on this controversial policy, to eliminate the need of parental consent, for any student to leave campus for what they have now cleverly deemed "confidential medical appointments".

We remember Terri, especially during Holy Week, because it was during Holy Week that Terri died ( actually through a biologically final act ). This biological act was the removal of her food and fluids, which were provided by feeding tube, court sanctioned by request of her husband.

Many people of all faiths prayed for Terri; many making a journey to Florida to pray outside of the Nursing Home during her ordeal. They stood as public witness to the sanctity of human life.

We know that Terri was profoundly disabled, but not dying. We also know, that she was a member of the human family. As a member of our human family, we owe Terri, ordinary, necessary and available care. This care includes food, warmth, human contact and love.

The issue of providing nutrition and hydration to brain-injured patients has been debated before Terri's case, and continues to be debated after her death. Pope John Paul II clearly defined society's responsibility to those, who may not have the ability to feed themselves, "The administration of food and water, even when provided by artificial means always represents a natural means of preserving life, not a medical act and should be considered "morally obligatory", as long as it provides nourishment and alleviation of suffering." Patrick Derr, in a paper on the provision of nutrition and hydration in 1987 put it bluntly, "The denial of food and fluids is a biologically final act in a way and with a degree of certainty, that the denial of surgical and medical therapy is not. It is never possible to survive the denial of food and fluids. The denial of food and fluids is biologically final, and guarantees the death of the patient with a degree of certainty, that the denial of medical or surgical therapy never denies."

Terri's care was entrusted to her husband, who ordered her feeding and hydration stopped. But, her care and her cause is entrusted to each of us, as a society, we must never forget Terri.